James William "Jack" Wimpey

1927 - 2023

James William "Jack" Wimpey, 95, of Murphy, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. He was born in Brasstown, May 9, 1927 to the late William Francis and Eula Mae Zimmerman Wimpey. He was the oldest of three children.
Jack was a World War II veteran who served in the United States Navy and fought in the Pacific. He was stationed on the U.S.S. Hancock.
Jack was an entrepreneur at heart and earned the nickname "Easy Money" over the course of his life. He established Wimpey Bulldozing and Trucking in 1955, which he operated until his death. Jack purchased the Murphy 64 Drive-In in the mid 1950s and later sold it to Preston Henn, who he worked for many years opening drive-ins throughout the southeast.
In 1964, he founded Tri-County Racetrack Inc. in Brasstown and then opened Wimpey's Mobile Home Park in 1971, both which he continued to operate throughout his life. Jack was instrumental in building and grading many projects that make up modern day Murphy. Jack graded the land for Tri-County Community College, Murphy Medical Center, mined the top of Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, Ga. and graded the land in the Bear Paw Resort and for the ski slope.
He was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church. Jack enjoyed hunting birds and had raised quails.
Jack was a loving husband, father and grandfather and a gifted storyteller, who passed a lot of local history down to his family.
He was the husband of the late Betty Jean Swanson Wimpey, who died July 3, 2014. In addition to his parents and his wife, he was also preceded in death by a grandson, Ryan Little; son-in-law, Harry Little; brother, Clarence Edward Wimpey; and sister, Emogene Riefer.
Surviving are three daughters, Sheila Grindstaff and husband, Leonard, of Old Fort, N.C., Nan Copeland and husband, Stephen, and Sharon Jannette Little-Pelletier and husband, Craig, all of Murphy; four grandchildren, Eric Grindstaff and wife, Kara, Aaron Copeland, Adrienne Copeland and Joshua Little and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27 in the chapel of Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy with the Rev. Aud Brown officiating. The interment will be in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens with military graveside rites conducted by the Hayesville VFW Post 6812, Hayesville American Legion Post 532 and Murphy American Legion Post 96. Pallbearers will be Eric Grindstaff, Joshua Little, Richard and Zach Riefer, Isaac White and Phil Evans. Honorary pallbearers will be Jim Lambert, Dr. Greg Cranford, Dennis Curtis and Wallace Parker.
The family will receive friends from 12-1:45 p.m. Monday at the Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy prior to the services.
The family requests memorials be made in memory of James William "Jack' Wimpey to the Valley River Humane Society, PO Box 658, Murphy, NC 28906.
Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy: www.iviefuneralhome.com is in charge of all arrangements.